Can opener



July 16, 1935. H. VON WOLFORSDORF CAN OPENER Filed Oct. 9, 1953 PatentedJuly 16, 1935 2,008,430

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

von Wolforsdorf, administratrix of said Hans von Wolforsdorf, deceasedApplication October 9, 1933; Serial No. 92,735

2 claims. ('01. 30--3') .ThiS invention relates to can openers of the ofthe frame plate II is the shank I3 of a cutter manually operable type,and has reference more blade I4. This blade extends generallylengthparticularly to a known type of such can openers wise of thehandle'and is formed with a lower structurally characterized by a frameplate or beveled cutting'edge=;l5 (Fig; 61), and, as best 5 bar formedwith an inwardly overhanging cutter shown in Fig.3, is preferablyoutwardly inclined 5 blade for piercing and cutting out the top wallforapurpose later disclosed. The blade is formed of the can, and atraction. wheel and operating with a comparativelysharp piercing end ortip I6. handle therefor journaled in the frame plate and Rotatablymounted on the inner side of the serving to effect a travel of the frameplate and frame plate II is a toothed. traction wheel I'I fast cutterblade around the top edge of the can on the inner'end of thestem, orshank I 8 of an 10 through biting engagement with the undersideoperating handle I9, the stem or shank I8 being of the usual annularbead or rim on the end of slidable in theslot I2." Integral withtheupper the can. edge ofthe frame plate It and directly in rear One objectof this invention has been to proof the blade I4 is'-a laterallyextending lug 20 vide a can opener of this type of exceedingly simthat,in the lowered position of the handle shown 15 ple construction and fewparts, thereby conducin Fig. 5 rides on the top edge of the top bead ofing to low cost. Another object has been to prothe can, and on the loweredge. of the frame plate vide an improved can opener that may very II isan inwardly extending lug 2| that, as shown easily be applied to andremoved from the can, in Fig. 6, bears against the vertical wall of theand that will effect a smooth and easy cutting can during the cuttingoperation to prevent fric- 20 operation. A still further object has beento tion between the traction wheel and the can wall. provide a canopener of such construction that, The blade shank I3, as best shown inFig. 3, is as the top wall of the can is pierced by the cuttingcontinuous with the lug 20; and, in order to render blade and the lattershifted to cutting position, the blade resiliently yieldable to a smallextent,

the traction wheel will be automatically brought its shank I3 isseparated from the frame plate I I 25 into a position favorable forbiting engagement by a longitudinal kerf 22. This characteristic withthe lower edge of the bead or rim so as to of the blade is notindispensable to a satisfactory insure good traction on the latter.functioning of the tool, but has two advantages.

Still other objects and attendant advantages In the first place, as thetool is entered on the of the, device will be apparent to those familiarcan and moved to cutting position, its horizontal 30 with tools of thischaracter by the following despringiness tends to draw the frame platecarrytailed description, taken in connection with the ing the tractionwheel snugly against the outer accompanying drawing in which I haveilluswall of the can; and in the second place, when the trated onepractical embodiment of the princitraction wheel is turned to engagewith the lower ple of the invention, and wherein:-- edge of the canbead, as shown in Fig. 6, its ver- 35 Fig. 1 is an inner side elevationof the can tical springiness causes the traction wheel to take opener. agood grip on the bead.

Fig. 2 is an outer side elevation of the same In using the tool forcutting out a can top, turned end for end. it is first applied in asubstantially vertical po- 40 Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.sition, as shown in Fig. 4, and downward pres- 40 Fig. 4 is a viewillustrating the first operation sure on the handle causes the blade topuncture of piercing the top wall of the can. the top, the tractionwheel and its operating Fig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. 4 but showingthe handle at the same time dropping to the lower handle swung down tobring the blade into cutend of the slot I2 so that. the traction wheelting position. lies below the head. The handle is then swung 45 Fig. 6is an enlarged cross section on the offset down to the position shown inFig. 5, rocking on line 56 of Fig. 5. the shank of the blade as afulcrum. I This Referring to the drawing, I0 designates a hanslightlyraises the traction wheel into engagedle member preferably of wood andof a size and ment with the under side of the bead, and at shape to beheld securely in one hand of the opthe same time starts the cuttingoperation by erator. Rigidly mounted on the inner end of causing thecutting edge I5 of the blade to sever the handle Ill and extendinglengthwise of the a portion of the can top. The user, grasping latter isa flat frame plate I I preferably formed the handle II] with one hand,turns the operat with a longitudinal slot I2 in its outer portion. inghandle I 9 clockwise (viewing Fig. 2) with Integral with and continuouswith the top edge the other whereupon the traction wheel first form ofthe invention which, in practice, has

travels to the inner end of the slot I 2, and, as soon as it abuts theinner end of said slot, the grip of the Wheel on the bead causes the canto rotate, thus effecting a complete severance of the can top close tothe inner wall of the can body. When the top has been completelysevered, a slight turning movement of the handle the latter to thedevice as shown, except to the extent indicated in specific claims.

I claim: 7 1 1. A can opener, comprising a handle, a flat frame platerigidly mountedon one end of said handle and extending lengthwise of thelatter and'having a straight longitudinal slot, a fixed cutter blademounted on and inwardly offset from said frame plate, said bladelyingopposite said slot and extending generallylengthwise of said handleand formed with a pointed end for piercing the can under a down thruston said handle, a. traction wheel operating handle having 'a shankrotatably and slidably mounted in said slot, a traction wheel fast onthe inner end "of said shank, said slot, through engagement with saidshank, operating to raise said traction wheel into biting engagementwith a bead on the can when said first-named handle is swung downwardly,and an upper lug on said frame plate adapted to rest on the top edge ofthe can when said first-named handle is in substantially horizontalposition.

2. A can opener, comprising a handle, a fiat frame plate rigidly mountedon one endof said handle and extending lengthwise of the latter andhaving a straight longitudinal slot, a'fixed cutter blade integral withthe top edge of said plate and inwardly offset from the latter oppositesaid slot, said blade extending generally lengthwise of said handle andbeing resiliently yieldable both vertically and horizontally and formedwith an outwardly inclined pointed end portion for piercing'the canunder a down thrust on said handle, a traction wheel operating handlehaving a shank rotatably and slidably mounted in said slot, a tractionwheel fast on the inner end of said shank andlying against the innerside of said frame plate, said slot, through engagement with said shank,operating to raise said traction wheel into biting engagement With' abead on the can when said first-named handle 'is swung downwardly, anupper lug on's'aid frame plate adapted to'rest on the top edge of thecan when said first named handle is in substantially horizontalposition, and a lug on the lower edge of the frame plate adapted to bearon the side Wall of the can.

' HANS vow WQLFORSDORF.

